Some of the Dangerous Cosmetics in European History

Some of the Dangerous Cosmetics in European History
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Some of the Dangerous Cosmetics in European History             Cosmetics have been around for centuries and are mostly associated with women’s quest for beauty. However, some of the products involved in cosmetics can have detrimental health implications. Today, there is frequent news of makeup products causing physical bodily harm and other associated with such health issues as cancer. These problems are old as the history of cosmetics, which means that there are historical incidences of dangerous makeup products that have ruined lives. The focus of this paper is to explore some of the most dangerous cosmetics in European history, which will include such famous cases as Queen Elizabeth I and other common examples in the Victorian era. Queen Elizabeth I – Venetian Ceruse             Queen Elizabeth I is perhaps one of the most popular cosmetics cases proving to be extremely dangerous. The Queen had become ill from a fever and a pox, which damaged her skin. When she recovered, she set out to restore her beauty, which meant using ‘face paint’ to cover the scars (Carlton, 2020). The cosmetics she used were known as the Venetian ceruse, which comprised a mixture of vinegar and lead. This mix is labeled a potential killer since it contains lead (Charleston, 2019). Face paint was a popular cosmetic around the time and was craved by upper-class women dating as far back as ancient Greece. During Queen Elizabeth’s reign, a totally white face was associated with youth and fertility, which explains the archeological findings of lead substances in the graves of white upper-class women of ancient Europe.             The cosmetic can be described as a toxic chemical mix since it causes such problems as skin discoloration, hair loss, illnesses, dental enamel, and erosion. As shown in figure 1, the makeup had to be applied in thick layers to cover the entire skin and any blemishes on it. The lead made the people such and caused death on multiple occasions. A makeup pot comprising modeled tablets of white lead used in the 5^th BC is shown in figure 2, which was the typical Venetian ceruse used by the queen and other wealthy women at the time (Strange Remains, 2017). In essence, Queen Elizabeth I may have died from the use of cosmetics, which makes Venetian Ceruse one of the most dangerous cosmetics in European history.   Figure 1: The Rainbow portrait of Queen Elizabeth I by Isaac Oliver (Charleston, 2019).   Figure 2: Venetian Ceruse makeup pot (Strange Remains, 2017). European Eye Drops: Bella Donna             The European eye drops made from the belladonna plant are another dangerous cosmetic that was rampantly used across Europe in the 16^th century. According to Meriney and Fanselow (2019), this cosmetic was commonly used in Italy by women to dilate the pupils, which was thought to make them look more beautiful. Ophthalmologists still u...